1970 Map of Vail Pass

About this map

The high alpine Divide between the White River National Forest and Arapaho National Forest defines this landscape in the years following the 1969 aerial survey. At the base of the Gore Range, the intersection of high-altitude travel routes is evident at Vail Pass and Wheeler Junction. The map documents the early 1970s balance between recreation and industry, showing established sites like Black Lake Campground and Officers Gulch Pond Campground alongside active or recent Mines and a network of Jeep Trails. Significant water features like Uneva Lake and the Curtain Ponds sit near the rugged ridgelines of Buffalo Mountain and Uneva Peak. The presence of the Wheeler Trail and Dillon Trail illustrates the importance of these mountain passes for trans-mountain movement before modern highway expansions fully altered the local footprint.